Help! Copperband butterfly sick!

[AlexR9364]

Seriously struggling fish, breathing super hard, nose bent, swimming straight into the glass. Red and black mark all over, and now doing somersaults. Doesn't seem to know up from down.
I have just added some anti bacterial treatment to the tank, but I have another tank copper and fluke medication on hand if I can get a diagnosis. Please help!

 

[Jekyl]

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[vetteguy53081]

Seriously struggling fish, breathing super hard, nose bent, swimming straight into the glass. Red and black mark all over, and now doing somersaults. Doesn't seem to know up from down.
I have just added some anti bacterial treatment to the tank, but I have another tank copper and fluke medication on hand if I can get a diagnosis. Please help!

Im not seeing physical injury however the nose/mouth looks like an impact injury. These fish do spook easily and may have been the case. It often self-corrects and should but keep an eye on area for redness/soreness. If so, will need Broad spectrum treatment.
If fish eating and breathing normal?
Feed soft foods it can easily take in such as brine shrimp and mysis shrimp for now

 

[AlexR9364]

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Aquarium Fish Disease Problem Solving Determining the best course of action for a problem with your aquarium can be a difficult task. Even advanced aquarists will often need to seek the help of others for complicated or unique issues. Our intent here on Reef 2 Reef is to offer expert advice...

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It is a mixed reef tank.
Salinity: 1.024
Temp 24.5 degrees Celsius
PH 7.56 (I have recently had to do a black out due to algae issues, so it has dropped significantly from 8.01, lighting has been resumed today.)
NH3 0.048 ppm
Phosphates are ridiculous high ATM hence the issues with algae.
All other fish are fine, happily swimming about and eating.
CBB has stopped eating since yesterday.
Tank is running UV for parasite control at the appropriate flow rate for parasite control.

 

[AlexR9364]

Im not seeing physical injury however the nose/mouth looks like an impact injury. These fish do spook easily and may have been the case. It often self-corrects and should but keep an eye on area for redness/soreness. If so, will need Broad spectrum treatment.
If fish eating and breathing normal?
Feed soft foods it can easily take in such as brine shrimp and mysis shrimp for now

It is breathing incredibly quickly and as redish patches around the nose, mouth, pectoral fins and down one side.
It is not eating and is normally a greedy guts.
Flow is been turned down as much as it possibly can as it it is having trouble swimming and working out which way is up.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It is breathing incredibly quickly and as redish patches around the nose, mouth, pectoral fins and down one side.
It is not eating and is normally a greedy guts.
Flow is been turned down as much as it possibly can as it it is having trouble swimming and working out which way is up.

I would transfer ASAP to a separate treatment tank and treat with Seachem Kanaplex as it sounds like hemorrhaging has taken place, Add aeration using airstone and use clean sterile water- not current tank water . Please add a you tube version video of at least 20 seconds if you can to see the breathing and other current swim behavior

 

[AlexR9364]

I would transfer ASAP to a separate treatment tank and treat with Seachem Kanaplex as it sounds like hemorrhaging has taken place, Add aeration using airstone and use clean sterile water- not current tank water . Please add a you tube version video of at least 20 seconds if you can to see the breathing and other current swim behavior

I am currently filling a tank with fresh, clean water.
Seems to have calmed down significantly, still breathing very quickly, but seems a lot more together. Eyes are very clear and seems to now be aware of its surroundings as it is avoiding rocks and moves round other fish.
Sticking to one area but seems to be very slowly exploring.
Unfortunate cannot get a lot of the seachem meds in the UK due to various regulations, I am not sure we can even have them imported which sucks.

 

[AlexR9364]

The largest scrape is on the left side, which unfortunately you don't really see in this video. If I get a good shot of it later, I shall upload another video.

 

[vetteguy53081]

The largest scrape is on the left side, which unfortunately you don't really see in this video. If I get a good shot of it later, I shall upload another video.

Is yellow angel harassing it at all?
The fresh quarantine and oxygen should help greatly

 

[AlexR9364]

Is yellow angel harassing it at all?
The fresh quarantine and oxygen should help greatly

No, it is usually very timid. I think they all just assumed it was feeding time.
Yes, I have popped in an air stone while the quarantine is filling up. It likely isn't needed but I had it and didn't want to take the risk.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

It is breathing incredibly quickly and as redish patches around the nose, mouth, pectoral fins and down one side.
It is not eating and is normally a greedy guts.
Flow is been turned down as much as it possibly can as it it is having trouble swimming and working out which way is up.

Did its mouth damage show up after the not eating, or before?

I had another case this week where a tank blackout caused high carbon dioxide/low oxygen in a tank. I think people aren’t aerating heavily enough during the process. Also, if you use plastic sheeting to black tanks out, that can really destroy gas exchange.

 

[AlexR9364]

Did its mouth damage show up after the not eating, or before?

I had another case this week where a tank blackout caused high carbon dioxide/low oxygen in a tank. I think people aren’t aerating heavily enough during the process. Also, if you use plastic sheeting to black tanks out, that can really destroy gas exchange.

I just had the lights out, I didn't use any kind of cover as I didn't want to restrict airflow. Had both an airstone and the skimmer going.
CBB is now in fresh, clean tank with medication (I have gone for flukes meds due to the very fast breathing and the lack of ich spots.) and airstone. Temp and salinity all matchind the DT. I suppose all I can do now is pray.

It is going a little nuts, could that be from parasites reacting to the medication? Like trying to rub itself on the glass etc.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I just had the lights out, I didn't use any kind of cover as I didn't want to restrict airflow. Had both an airstone and the skimmer going.
CBB is now in fresh, clean tank with medication (I have gone for flukes meds due to the very fast breathing and the lack of ich spots.) and airstone. Temp and salinity all matchind the DT. I suppose all I can do now is pray.

It is going a little nuts, could that be from parasites reacting to the medication? Like trying to rub itself on the glass etc.

Sometimes, when fish have flukes, using prazi causes the flukes to move around on the fish, causing the fish a lot of discomfort, but that should pass by tomorrow. There is some risk though; with really severe fluke infections, when the prazi knocks all the flukes off, it leaves thousands of holes in the fish’s skin, and they can bleed out. No way around that though.

 

[AlexR9364]

Ah. I suppose there is not much I can do but just try and keep them comfortable. Keep your fingers crossed for me.